Push to remove barriers against disabled during awareness month

Lawrence Zwane, 29, says he is able to do just as much as anyone else. Picture: Supplied

Lawrence Zwane, 29, says he is able to do just as much as anyone else. Picture: Supplied

Published Nov 3, 2021

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CAPE TOWN - “I don’t consider myself disabled. I can do anything that other people can do, even I forget that I have one foot sometimes.”

This is the outlook of Lawrence Zwane, 29, who had his foot amputated in 2018.

In observing Disability Rights Awareness Month from November 3 to December 3, Zwane, who is a member of the reception team at Medicross Pinetown medical and dental centre, says that he considers himself as able as anyone.

South Africa marks Disability Rights Awareness Month to draw attention towards removing barriers and improving the quality of life of people with disabilities.

According to the World Health Organization, persons with disabilities make up 15% of the world’s population.

Zwane is one of the 777 persons with disabilities working in the Netcare Group, making up some 4.24% of the workforce.

“After my recovery, I was unemployed, sitting at home in Dassenhoek in 2019 when I heard about Netcare’s Sinako learnership programme. After applying, I was asked to come in for an interview. I was accepted, and it has had a great impact on my life ever since,” Zwane said.

The National Library of South Africa and its partners, including the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Iziko Museums of South Africa, and the Pan South African Language Board, will be commemorating the month through the Community Publishing Grant and managed to empower and assist Richard Albertse, a visually impaired author to self-publish his book VISION: The Story of a Seeing Blind Man.

The event will take place virtually on Wednesday. Details are as follows:

Venue: National Library of South Africa’s Centre for the Book, 62 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town

Time: 5:30pm

Zoom: Meeting ID: 925 7383 1362 / Passcode: 100233

Cape Times

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